State final notes: Maine South's Dave Inserra dresses like a champion

Maine South's Sean McNulty kicks a field goal as Nick Leongas holds to put Maine South up 27-17 in the closing minute of the Class 8A state championship game Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

Maine South's Sean McNulty kicks a field goal as Nick Leongas holds to put Maine South up 27-17 in the closing minute of the Class 8A state championship game Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. (Bradley Leeb / AP)

Dan ShalinPioneer Press

Since the Maine South football team lost to New Trier in Week 7, ending a 77-game Central Suburban South winning streak, Hawks coach Dave Inserra had talked often about the 2000 team.

That squad, on which Inserra was an assistant coach, also had its hopes of a conference title dashed by a loss to the Trevians. But it went on to capture the state championship.

After history seemingly repeated itself with Maine South's 27-17 victory over Loyola in Saturday's Class 8A state championship game, Inserra revealed his regular references to the 2000 team often had been accompanied by a visual aid — a red long-sleeved, 2000 State Champions T-shirt.

"Since, the minute we lost to New Trier, (emulating the 2000 team) has been our rallying cry, and I wore that T-shirt two or three times a week," Inserra said after the state final. "I had it on all day (Saturday in Champaign) and I'll go back and put it on (later Saturday night)."

On the topic of shirts, Maine South players reminded Inserra he was due for a new polo. The one he wore under his sweatshirt for the title game had the Maine South logo surrounded by the years the program has won state titles: 1995, 2000, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

The year 2016 can now be featured on any future Hawks attire.

Not wearing down

Leading up to Class 8A state championship game, Loyola coach John Holecek noted how Maine South's defense had improved after it added four two-way players to that unit. But Holecek wondered if the Ramblers lack of two-way players could be to their advantage.

For a portion of the championship game, Loyola appeared committed to a ball-control, run-oriented offense, which allowed the Ramblers' big offensive linemen to pound away at, and possibly wear down, the Maine South defense.

"I thought we had a good game plan going in. As coach said, we were hoping to wear out the guys going both ways. But it just wasn't our day today," said Loyola senior linebacker Anthony Romano, who lives in Island Lake.

The Maine South two-way players never seemed to wilt. In fact, on a key possession late in the third quarter, McNulty had a tackle for loss and the 340-pound Jarvis had a sack as Maine South held Loyola to a field goal despite the Ramblers getting inside Maine South's 10-yard line.

"We thought fourth quarter (Maine South's fatigue) might be to our advantage," Holecek said. "But it's a 35-degree day and you have a lot of (TV) timeouts (taking away the heat factor and allowing more rest). ... It's impressive what they do."

Covering Marwede

Maine South 5-foot-8 senior cornerback Matthew Schneider found himself covering Loyola's star 6-5 tight end Jake Marwede for much of the evening.

Though seemingly a mismatch, Marwede caught just one pass for 25 yards, and was targeted only twice. Schneider broke up a pass to Marwede on Loyola's first drive of the third quarter.

"(Marwede) is a heck of a player. He's going to Duke on a full ride," said Schneider, who lives in Park Ridge. "I think he had one catch. I mean, that just caps off my year."

Holbrook, a senior, said he had expected the ball to go in Marwede's direction more often, but said the Hawks clearly were doing something right to prevent that from happening.

"Honestly, I was a little surprised," said Holbrook, a Park Ridge resident who also found himself covering Marwede on occasion. "But I'm assuming we were doing a pretty good job over the top. I can't see what their quarterback was seeing, but I'm guessing we were doing a good job (covering Marwede)."

Marwede said the Maine South defensive backfield, which also included Stacy, a junior safety, and Jack Hoffman, a senior safety, had been on top of its game.

"They played well, made plays," said Marwede, who lives in Lake Forest. "When they needed to crash down on the shorter routes (they did) and they were able to keep up with us on the longer routes. They made plays when they needed to."

Praising McNulty

Both Inserra and Holecek took time during their postgame press conferences to single out McNulty, who seemed to do a bit of everything in the championship game.

The senior played on the offensive line, had a big hit and a key pass breakup at linebacker, kicked two field goals, sent 4-of-6 kickoff into the end zone for a touchback and as a punter, repeatedly pinned the Ramblers back near their end zone.

In fact, early in the fourth quarter, McNulty's 66-yard punt tied a Class 8A championship game record.

"Their kicker was phenomenal. What a weapon. Holy cow," Holecek said.

Inserra said: "The punts, how many inside the 15, the 10? Kickoffs, field goals, we're putting it on his shoulders. He played a heck of a game on defense. I'm not 100-percent sure on offense how well he did, but I know he took every snap. That's a warrior effort there."